Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods on Wednesday announced that Bob Moore will give up the CEO title 40 years after founding the Milwaukie-based producer of whole-grain food products.

Dennis Vaughn, the company's chief operating officer and vice president of operations, will take over as CEO.

Moore will remain active as president and the face of the brand, now with more time to travel the world to meet with customers and retailers.

Vaughn, Moore's hand-picked successor, joined the company in 1999 as director of operations. He was promoted to chief operating officer in 2013 and is credited by the company as an innovator both in product development and advanced manufacturing. He's been responsible for moving the brand into new product formats such as oatmeal cups, while also increasing factory production at the company by nearly 10 times what it was when he began nearly 20 years ago.

“Dennis and I share a passion for this brand and have worked closely together to grow Bob’s Red Mill into what it is today,” Moore said in a news release. "I truly believe there is no better person to lead this company to even greater success, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to manage this business we both know and love.”

Moore, 89, founded the brand in 1978 and built it into one of the nation's leading natural foods brands, with more than $50 million in annual sales. It produces more than 400 products, ranging form grains, flours, cereals, baking mixes and a range of organic and gluten-free goods.

He maintained a controlling interest in the company until 2010, when he handed control over to 500-plus employees through an Employee Stock Ownership Program.